My Prelim Process

Detail crop of a recent painting.

I used to do detailed drawings and transfer them to the painting surface. But pretty sure that skipping that step has given my work a freshness it would lose with all the re-drawing and transferring.

Now I do preliminary composition sketches. Here's the one I chose for the painting above. I get carried away with the details and values sometimes, but I find working up the sketches to be relaxing and fun!

Here's an example of one for a different painting. I like to use red pencil first. I've found using red--instead of a graphite pencil--frees me up a bit for some reason.

This is a sketch page of some prelims for Sir Baffle and the Dragon...

 

...and here is the finished acrylic painting.

 

Thanks for checking out my blog!

 

More Border Designs and Influences

 Border Design, acrylic.

As promised in a post a few weeks ago--more borders!

This one actually has a subject within the proscenium, but I've removed it for this post. Been working on a crop of new pieces, and this is one of them. I like imperfect, almost-symmetry much more than the opposite.

Antique toy theaters are definitely an influence, and some of my strongest childhood memories are of going to the old theaters in Denver--before most were torn down--and looking at the amazing plaster and tile decorations.

Book covers used to have great designs--I like to hunt in old bookstores and antique shops, and photograph them.

And there's always the internet.

This is a border--the interior also removed--done for a show at Helikon Gallery...

...and the amazing Sendak artwork (from his Nutcracker) that inspired it.

Old engravings, like this book plate by P. Voight, are also great catalysts for new works.

This owl, a fragment of a larger acrylic work, sits atop a clutch of oak leaves.

Leaving you with one of my favorites; a watercolor border that in fact holds a Cupboard Goblin instead of my watermark.

I could go on and on, but that's plenty. If you missed the previous Borders post, here's the link:

Borders Part One

Thanks, as always, for your interest and support of my work!

A Feature in Imagine FX

 I was very happy to learn that my submission to Imagine FX magazine resulted in a feature in the January 2017 issue. 

In a regular section called Fantasy Illustrator Exposé Traditional, several of the editors pick and critique several traditional-media fantasy illustrators.

Everyone who contacted me from the magazine was genial and considerate, and as you can see, the feature is concise and very nicely done. If you are a fantasy artist working traditionally, what are you waiting for? Submit!

Here's their Facebook page

Imagine FX Fb

and their Instagram

@imaginefxmagazine

And thanks for checking out my blog!

Some Border Designs and Influences

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Borders interest me greatly, and influences vary from

the illustrations of George Cruikshank, to

the stained glass windows of Harry Clarke. 

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Sometimes I get carried away with preliminary sketches.

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Can't say I like drawing better than painting. Good thing there are both available.

 Maurice Sendak; designs for The Nutcracker

The 70s and 80s saw a surge in border designs by contemporary artists. Maurice Sendak's wonderful sketches have always been a huge influence.

Trina Schart Hyman; Detail crop from Saint George and the Dragon

Same with the amazing illustrations of Trina Schart Hyman.

 

Borders give an artist the ability to extend the "story" within an artwork, but often are simply wonderful, decorative touches.

 

https://www.instagram.com/tomsarmo_art/

Playing around with new border ideas and methods remains a favorite endeavor. 

I'll be posting more influences and borders next time. Until then, please check out and follow me on  Instagram   tomsarmo_art.

Thanks for the visit!